First Didier, F5OGL, of course, otherwise nothing had been possible. His great patience, and relationship mastery with the HQ both in Paris and Saint Denis de la Réunion, and the Civilian authorities. Thanks also Didier, for having trust on us.

Rafik, F5CQ, the dxpedition webmaster, and also for the daily updating of the online log and for the complaints treatment.

Jeff F6AOJ, pilote, who maintained at our disposal his great technical knowledge. Thanks also for the statistics. Thanks for having answered with humour on his personnal website, to defend us against the grizzly
OM who never, at least one time in their life, left their armchair, except, maybe, to go sometimes to the toilets.
THE CREW HAVE APPRECIATED.

The "KOP TEAM" F6KOP (F4AJQ F6AML F4TTR F4EVR F5AGB F9IE and may be other whose callsigns have been forgotten), otherwise nothing about the gear and technical help could have be possible. They helped us from the beginning in. We thank them for their help include their effort to go along us to the airport. They did so, on front of numerous French and foreign Hams reluctances. We think the real Ham Spirit is their, they are an exemple for all, included the French community.

All of the previous, both Servicemen and hams who were at a time or another on the list of operators and who did leave the crew for Service reasons, like
F5RQQ F5TLN F5PHW F5PTM F5CQ F5CW F5JKK and many other.

All of you who, in the background, helped us in spite of the difficulties which appeared all this aventure long.

We hope we have won our challenge, in spite of the Service duties and our more or less habits of each of us in this kind of traffic. Nobody is perfect and those who never did will never know and will never be mistaken.

The goal of 50 000 QSO's was reached by a 5 operators crew, with two and sometimes three stations. We think It seems correct for a spare time activity. Of course with two more operators, it could have been possible to traffic 24 hours a day, and why not to break the K5D results, but the Service has decided differently.

Freddy has now to sort the pictures and the videos, a joint job with
Florence's job who made the dxpedition report. A documentary movie will be realised, to be came out for the next
Clipperton DX Club Convention.

To all of you, Thank you and once again Thank you, see you soon on the air from Metropolitan France.

In the HOT to all of you who helped us : pilots, webmaster, communicants, friends...

FT5GA has shut down the transmissions after 23 days of non stop traffic. Some little problems appeared but it wast the most time because of the remote location of the Islands, and the Islands status regarding the Sovereignty upon them and the French laws and administratives rules.

I do Want to thank all of you, for the heavy and hard work you did, to make the traffic from our friends on Glorioso as easy as possible. Of course some are disappointed, other are frustated ; We heard also, you and I, idiots, but with
50,000 QSO’s counted, I think, decently, that, instead of the conditions , we have reached our goal. These islands never in the past, were put on the air as they have been in September/October 2009. I thank for this operation the back office team composed of the pilots, throughout the World, Rafik,
F5CQ, our Webmaster, who received an impressive number of mails and who kept the course ; So was also Maurice,
F5NQL who did read and treat a huge number of messages.

We would yhanks particularly, the Provins F6KOP ARC, Thierry F4TTR and Frank
F4AJQ who never posed any question and provided us an inestimable help.

Thanks to the French Army which Hosted, Carried and helped the crew.

These five years were very thrilling, to give to a lot of you, this 4th most wanted country, even if it was not always easy to win this challenge. We had to negociate with a lot of Authorities to, finally , be able to propose this activity. This expedition was very instructive. The world ham community got into the habit to see dxpeditions very expansive, with 25 operators and more and tons of gear carried to the camps. It was not possible on Gloriosos, and we know also, that numerous "hams" don’t give a damn, about the difficulties we came up against. Without your help, the crew on Gloriosos and I, had never be able do make this expedition possible. If Gloriosos 2009, as I expect, is aknowledge by the International Ham Community, your action iwould have been for a big part in. We have, all together, founded an International very dynamic team, with hams responsibles, clever and reliable.

Now a lot of work has to be done. With Florence, our columnist, we have to write the articles for the world, to prepare the videos and to fit the film made with the main subject on this dxpedition. Didier,
F5OGL and XYL Caroline who collects the post stamps, have also days and days to work with
QSL’ing.

One of our operators , Pascal, F5PTM, is now in Afghanistan, as T6YA. He would like to go, but he couldn’t go. I’m thinking of him now.

Gloriosos is quite finished, we are working on new projects to new rare countries.

Thank again to all of you.

73's de Didier, F5OGL - Gloriosos 2009 team leader

October 6, 18:00 UTC

Freddy, F5IRO and Yves-Michel F5PRU have sent the dismantling plan for both antennas and stations.

* To night, the crew continue to traffic with 4 stations on the air, untill 21:00 UTC + or -
* On october 7th morning, dismantling of a complete station and 2 Spiderbeams.
* Exceptionnally, and for the Ham Community we will do a last effort, with traffic untill to morrow 09:00 UTC, with two stations, which will be found propagation permitting from 40 to 12m, in CW, then SSB, then RTTY and again CW, SSB, RTTY etc ...
* On Wednesday in the afternoon, the two last stations will be dismantled at last.

If the plane flight plan is again delayed, (no more information yet), we will be ready to continue the traffic with only one station, untill the departure, which is scheduled on Thursday at 11:00 UTC.
Leaving the Gloriosos, after a "touch and go" on Mayotte, we will arrive in the evening to Saint Denis, Reunion Island.
On next week end, we will clean and pack the gear, making it ready for its return to Metropolitan France.

73 de Rafik, F5CQ Webmaster

October 6, 08:00 UTC

Yesterday, the crew, while in full pile up on 20 SSB, 24 CW and 28 RTTY had to stop suddenly because of technical reasons, concerning the power supplying.

Yesterday evening the op's were active again but this morning the traffic had been cut again.

Now 4 station are active ; the 4th was put under repairs and after some DiY, it's on the air again. These 4 stations will be on the air until the last moment and as longer as possible.

The crew must dismantle the 80 and 160 area farm included the K9AY, this morning. The plane which will come with the new reserve, is awaited a day early as scheduled, and the air track and its surroundings, are to be cleaned of any obstacle.

It could be possible that all of the antennas have to be dismantled to day and the traffic, could be ceased, in such a case, this evening of course.

We will inform you of any change, if it's happened.

73's de Didier, F5OGL - Gloriosos 2009 team leader

October 3, 2009

This is the last week end for
FT5GA. Some zone are still to be worked, if he propagation will come with us.
So the team will pay some attention on 80 m CW to the USA, and also on 160m, even if these bands are very very noisy. Jeff,
F6AOJ, EU Pilot is writing the strategy lines for the last week, according to these considerations.
Some friends from over the pond have indicated the presence of numerous pirates using the
FT5GA callsign near the team band plan, so we ask you to check the daily updated online log, about your
QSO's. We don't understand the reasons which cause these strange actions, may be are they a little bit neurotic ?
Instead of this presence of pirates, our friends, the crew members, are not annoyed at all.
We know also that a lot of friends haven't yet contacted FT5GA. It will be done all that it's possible on Gloriosos to
QSO'ed them at least one time, during this last week.

The pilots, instead of their own job restraints, are receiving a 500 message range a day. They have to read them, to work them, and also to answer, for the most part.
We are receiving from the world, observations and FT5GA's signal reports from friends . We thank them for the good help.
When all the received information are compiled and analysed, the traffic strategy is sent to
FT5GA. So daily, the crew can made the plan of the day - Traffic, Service, aso.

After a good CQ WW DX RTTY contest, the team has came back to the traffic instructions , wrote masterfully by Jeff/F6AOJ, using the usual propagation studying tools and Pilots reports.

Last night a Spiderbeam antenna felt down. Fortunately nothing was broken, and all have been set up without any problem.

We got from Yves-Michel/F5PRU, the following crew observation about the low bands
:
* As it was expected the 16om band is very poor. The QRN is very important.
* On 40 and 80m, the propagation is not particuarly good and the reception is poor because of this
QRN.
* This noise is probably due to the almost permanent presence of thunderstorms, in the Gloriosos and Cpmoros archipelago areas.

About the higher bands, the crew focuses at the time on 10, 12 and 15 meters. The results in the past days were good, particularly on 10 where found, at our surprise, very good conditions.

In the morning, all the windows to Oceania, East/South-east Asia, Africa, South America and the West coast of North America will be
visited.

From Didier/F5AOJ and Jeff/F6AOJ
:

We are very sad to observe the big activity of the Pirate Crew, around the
FT5GA frequencies. Some ham do not know what Pirate means.
Please check the log and try again, if your QSO is not in it. The pirate crew cheated
you.

The FT5GA crew continues do try satisfiing the international Ham radio community. The propagation is very changeable, in these equinox and higher sunspots times.
Two rigs felt down some days ago. Now one is again in order but the second have to be repaired when coming back home, because of new parts missing on Gloriosos. By the way, three stations are on the air as often as possible.

On next week end, the all crew will enter the CQ WW DX RTTY contest, in
Multi/single class. The two other stations CW/SSB will be also on the air. We have now 14 days of traffic to do . We hope more quiet pile ups for these two weeks. The logs are received at
F5CQ’s every evening and uploaded in the row at : http://www.clublog.org/charts/?c=FT5GA
The operators have confirmed us once again the lost of time with unruly operators. Some other seem death for they have to repeat very often their callsigns to get confirmation of the
QSO. Listen the operators sen.ding information or instructions !

About the QSOs/QSL, Didier, F5OGL, team leader and Rafik/F5CQ webmaster are receiving complaints about wrong callsigns or more. As it was said in a previous message, no answer will be give to these messages. If there are problems, they will be solved when the future
QSL’ing operation after FT5GA return.

We say once again that the cuts, which are systematically denounced on the clusters, are service imperatives, for maintenance. During these times, no AC nor DC is available, and at these moments the operators are doing service job, especially doing the generator maintenance. These mandatory cuts are used also by the crew, during their very short spartime to study the Traffic instructions wrote upon pilots observations It’s essential to make the most of you satisfie.

73's de Didier, F5OGL - Gloriosos 2009 team leader

September 22, 2009

Setup a Spiderbeam

Bernard F5LPY and Yves-Michel F5PRU

Last FT5GA news :

1st) from Rafik, F5CQ, webmaster

The log book is online and updated at 2009-09-21 04:17 UTC,
last QSO recorded among a total of 12699
The 485 missing 40m CW QSO’s, in the preview updating have been corrected and merged in the database.
http://www.clublog.org/charts/?c=FT5GA

We regret to confirm that pirates are operating with the FT5GA callsign on or around the original frequencies, so we can consider their QSO’s indeed.
If your QSO is not online, it will be quite sure you have been cheated, by those bad boys.
We suggest you to retry contacts.

73 de Rafik, F5CQ Webmaster

2nd) From Didier, F5OGL, team-leader.

Following some complaints forwarded by Lee, ZL2AL, about the
SSTV subband in the IARU band plan, the crew has confirmed that they
never listen between 14240 to 14260.

They can not be responsible of the indicipline of some operators, sending too high or too low or of those who are jamming and jamming the bands.

73's de Didier, F5OGL - Gloriosos 2009 team leader

September 21, 2009

From Rafik, webmaster for Glorieuses 2009 – FT5GA -, September
20th in the evening and September 21th in early morning.

Didier/F5OGL had some difficulties to join the team by satellite cell phone.
The link was not reliable enough, with numerous cuts. The logs were transmit not very easily.

The last log uploaded at : http://www.clublog.org/charts/?c=FT5GA
Contains 10416 QSO and the last one was recorded on September 20th at 11:04
utc. About 500 QSO are missing, for the date/time are not correct. I’ve not uploaded them to avoid disturbing on the
'best time to work FT5GA' page. I’m waiting for some more information about the time track; when corrected, these 500 QSO will be add on the logsearch page.

I’m receiving a lot of complaints about QSO’s made on 40m and
17m.
After checking, I discovered that a lot of them were not made with the FT5GA
crew, but were so QSO’s with pirate stations who are jamming the bands.

To day there will be an AC cut of several hours to do the maintenance on the only one generator active on the island. Unfortunately, the second broke down at the end of the last week.
The crew will spend this time to check another time the antennas and reinforce their guys and anchored.

Two of the four transceivers are temporarily out of order ; the operators will do the maintenance of
also.

They have tried the 160m band but the conditions and the propagation are
atrocious.

To morrow, Jeff, F6AOJ will transmit, some new traffic instructions to use the more efficient propagation tracks by band ans continent.

The satellite digit link use seems to be better from this morning , so we will try to upload the logs every day.

For the Digital fans, F8CRS will put FT5GA on the air during the next
CQ WW DX RTTY (Sept 26&27).

Even if the discipline becomes better, the crew members inform that too much time is lost repeating the callsigns heard with holders who do not confirm or who confirm after several times.
Please listen to the operators.

73's de
Didier, F5OGL - Gloriosos 2009 team leader

September 16, 2009 (10:30 UTC)

This morning, after a very windy night the operators discovered that the V40 was broken in 2 pieces (it has been repaired), the V80 was slighty bented but also repaired. The WARC Spiderbeam had a faulty contact (fixed), 5 band Spiderbeam is ok.
All three stations are installed, tuned and correctly configured.
This afternoon, they will setup the V160 and K9AY. Hopefully they got precious help from the glorioso military.
This will allow to certain op to operate. All three stations will be back on air as soon as the third Spiderbeam will be erected.
Tonight, two stations will be actives for the whole night.

73's de
Didier, F5OGL - Gloriosos 2009 team leader

September 16, 2009 (06:00 UTC)

After the first day only one station was set up. The first day was reserved to exhibitions to the VIP. At the end of the first day, a vertical for 80m was also in service.
They were on 80m all last night long. A huge QRN annoyed the traffic.

To day a part of the crew sets up the antennas and the other, indoor is assembling rigs, PC, Pa’s and so on, for the two other stations.

The traffic will grow up during the day, more and more. However, know that four times a day, the crew must stop the transmissions around 04h00, 09h00, 16h00 and 17h00 UTC, for control, especially of the AC supplies, by the Chief of maintenance crew and members.

Rafik, F5CQ waits the first log to be uploaded on the web page at : http://glorieuses2008.free.fr/searchlog.php to night or tomorrow in the morning. The first part of the FT5GA log will be available, on Sept 17th, in the morning, + or less, .

73's de
Didier, F5OGL - Gloriosos 2009 team leader

September 15, 2009

The Transall plane, carrying the TAAF and Mayotte authorities, the French Foreign Legion detachment and the
FT5GA crew has landed on Grande Glorieuse yesterday at 13h30 GMT (16h30 local).
The night falls very quickly so, it will be too late to set up the antennas, even one. It will be done this morning just after the sunrise.

After more then five years, some hours to wait again is undoubtedly the best achievement we would had hope, isn't it ?

73's de
Didier, F5OGL - Gloriosos 2009 team leader

September 14, 2009

The
FT5GA team landed safe on late Saturday, at Saint Denis de la Reunion Airport. While this week end, the members of the crew spent some time to check and finalize the laptops and the Wintest soft. They were heard doing that on the bands, barefoot, on Sunday using CW and RTTY, from Sainte-Clotilde.

This morning the departure to Mayotte is scheduled around 09:00 local time. Then they will fly to Glorieuses, were they are expected to land around the end of the afternoon. To night I’ll call them by satellite cell phone to know approximately when they will begin to traffic.

The Higher Authorities of the Territory and the other from the French Forces presence on the island, may delayed that a little bit. So it seems reasonable to expect the first signals on Tuesday in the morning. (GMT time)

By the way I will thank all of our pilots and friends who are ready QRV to collect all the useful information to permit us the best traffic organization. Jeff,
F6AOJ did a good job and send it us, about propagations predictions, Floyd,
N5FG is ready to receive and transmit us all what will be useful for the Whole American Continent. We know the poor conditions to day for the FT/G/Americas way so with the pilot help we will try to be as top as possible for them. This morning, Lee,
ZL2AL sent us some predictions for the VK/ZL area. The Middle and Far Asian observation are awaited, and will come soon.

The FT5GA has the chance to offer you a rare possibility to get the
4th Most Wanted country (The last time was in the 1999/2000); Could we ask the Ham community to don’t mess up the party ?
Please hear and hear before coming in the pile up. The operators will give also some instructions while beeing behind laptops, keys and mikes. They have received strict orders to keep the traffic under their control.

The logbooks will be able as soon as possible on the Web page at : http://glorieuses2008.free.fr/searchlog.php
Rafik, F5CQ our webmaster, will update as often as possible, receiving conditions permitting. Thank to him too for the big job done in the past and for that he will have to do in the next days.

So beam your antennas, keep your ears and rigs ready. The crew members are motivated as ever and they will do all their best to make all of you happy.

73's de Didier,
F5OGL - Gloriosos 2009 team leader

September 11, 2009

To Day september 11th at 18h45 (Paris time – 1645 utc), the plane to La Réunion had took off from Charles de Gaulle Paris Roissy
Airport.
The complete Gloriosos 2009 crew is onboard. – F5IRO, F5PRU, F5LPY, F4EGS, F8CRS, and Lieutnant Florence Gabulon –, they are on the way to FT/G. They will land tomorrow in the morning, at Saint Denis airport.
Some last details to check with the TAAF authorities, and they will take off to Mayotte then the Gloriosos on Monday 14th.
The TAAF Prefect, the higher authority for the "Iles Eparses", on the zone, and the Prefect of Mayotte, will go along the crew and the French Foreign Legion detachment. They will spend some time on the island, and especially observe the ham station set up and first hours of traffic.
Now you can beam your antennas right to the Indian Ocean. You have some four days to do and be ready.
The first signals are expected on next Tuesday. (photos
Serge F6AML)

The Glorioso 2009 Ham team with friends F4EVR, F6AML and Didier, F5OGL

L to R: F8CRS, F4EGS, F5IRO, Lt Flo Gabulon, F5LPY and F5PRU

Gloriosos 2009 cap and shirt

73's de Didier,
F5OGL - Gloriosos 2009 team leader

September 7, 2009

291 kg of gear on the scale (transceivers,
PA’s, power suppliees, antennas, masts and miscellanous aso ...) have been picked up by Didier/F5OGL, Yves/F5PRU and Franco/F4EVR .

They gave it to Mr Alain LEFELLEC, Export freight manager of the LOGFRET Society, located at Roissy Charles de Gaulle Airport. We thank him for his kind reception and his help to make this expedition a success.
Two pallets will flight to morrow to the Reunion island, were they will be got back by the Airforce base 181, freight service.

We now have in hand the authorisation to transmit on the Radioamateur Service bands, from Grande Glorieuse.
This permission is beeing sawn on the Home page. (photo F6AML)

73's de Didier,
F5OGL - Gloriosos 2009 team leader

August 25, 2009

GLORIOSOS 2009 and Magic band.

The propagation forecast for the Magic band from Gloriosos is very bad at the expedition time, quite in all directions.
Taking advice from 6 meters specialists, they inform us that chances to give FT5GA to world hams are very low and even less.
The only one antenna available is a 2 element HB9CV, with no other possibility to bring an or several other more efficient one(s), included for EME ; So it has been considered we had to focus on HF bands.
So we sadly decided to concentrate our activity only from 160 to 10 meters...
We ask the 6m community to understand our decision.

73's de Didier,
F5OGL - Gloriosos 2009 team leader

August 19, 2009

The FT5GA team has in hand, the flight tickets from Paris CdG to the St Denis Réunion Island airport.
The departure is scheduled on September 11th and the return on October
8th.

The information about the French Forces Transall flight from Saint Denis to Grande Glorieuse will be published as soon as the FASZOI Hq will have confirmed them. (FASZOI = French Armed Forces for the South Indian Ocean Zone)

The stay on Grand Glorieuse is considered having about three weeks length.

All the gear has been picked up and is now ready packed on pallets, to be sent to the Reunion island, in the next few days.
Thanks especially for that to the Provins ARC, F6KOP members Serge, F6AML and Frank, F4AJQ.

73's de Didier,
F5OGL - Gloriosos 2009 team leader

June 30, 2009

The Gloriosos 2009 is a new time postponed because of flight problems.
We think, however, the dxpedition could be begin at the end of August.

The runway on Grande Glorieuse suffers heavy problems of stability which have to be solved very quickly, in next July, to allow again the jumbo planes landing with full security .

This postponing will allow us to include new operators, David, F8CRS, and Bernard, F5LPY. Seven operators will go to FT5G.

Three stations will be active 24h a day and the 3rd dedicated to monitor the 6 meter . This last station will be used back on HF if propagation opens the lower bands.

The length of the stay is always scheduled for three weeks if no other change will happen.

We must once again remain all of you, that the landing on these islands is very difficult and the Go signal is given only when all the security measures are in place, known and applied.

We have to thank a lot for their help, the French Australes and Antarctic Territories Administration, The South Indian Ocean Zone Forces Headquarter, and the Commandment of the French Foreign Legion detachment in Mayotte.

More News to be published in due time.

Tks and 73

Gloriosos 2009 crew

Official comments by Didier, F5OGL, team leader :

A part we can say, even if the first event which made the July 2009 Gloriosos, postponed haven’t happen, the today’s aircrash of the Yemenia A310 at sea, after 2 hours of flight, is a new event which might have made the DXpedition postponed in any case. The plane which will have been used to come from La Reunion to Glorieuses, is now on the zone and participates to the researches of survivings for an unknown lenght of time...

These events and to reinforce the runway have been considered by the French Authorities.
For the most security, please wait again with us some more weeks.

73's de Didier,
F5OGL - Gloriosos 2009 team leader

June 9, 2009

The Glorieuses 2009 team gathered at Frank’s F4AJQ the last week end, June 6 and 7, with some KOP Team members.

During these two days all the time will be spent to tune the antennas, to teach the dxpeditionners about their setting, and to cordinate all of the packages.

Finally, 4 complete stations, with each at least a 800 Watts PA will be settled on Glorioso main island, to be active as closer as possible of 24h a day.

The antenna farm will consist of 2 Spiderbeam 10-15-20 and other for 12-17-30, An Inverted L for 160m, one V10, one V80 and one HF2V 80-40. Some other vertical elements are packed too; so is also a K9AY array receiving system.

We thanks a lot Jeff F6AOJ, Floyd N5FG, Toshi JA1ELY, Mike UAØME, Lee ZL2AL, who will be our pilot stations.
Floyd, N5FG and Jeff F6AOJ, were more than ever making big efforts in the back office, thanks again.

About the callsign :
For the First time, Gloriosos will be active under the new French Antarctic and Austral Territories (TAAF) regulation so the callsign claimed is :
FT5GA. For which the confirmation is pending.

From the year 2005, the "Iles Eparses", Gloriosos, Tromelin, Juan da Nova and Europa - are now put under the TAAF authority.

One Ham radio team of 3 to 4 military operators along with two reporters from SIRPA are going to reach Glorioso island
by 9th July and will stay there up to 28th July 2009.
The video reporter team has to make several footages and documentaries, the main one about the dxpedition itself.
They are going to work from 160 to 6 m in as much mode as possible.
The callsign is currently confidential ! It could be a surprise for more than one !
We are going to get three stations and we will be welcome by the Foreign Legion.
All the equipments are going to be loan by the F6KOP team and F4AJQ CDXC president.
Leader and QSL manager : F5OGL Didier
Webmaster : F5CQ Rafik
We are looking to get as much support as possible from our sponsors.
We hope to put the log online every day and Rafik will up date it as soon as possible.
Operators : F5IRO (TO4E), F5PRU, F5TLN and if possible F4EGS, F5RQQ.

73's de Didier,
F5OGL - Gloriosos 2009 team leader

August 13, 2008

Considering numerous rumours spread by non authorized hams about the dates of the next Gloriosos 2008 dxpedition, I think I have to give some information to avoid any more errors.

On the island, the anti-cyclonics shelters building is nearly finished. The taking over of the French Army sovereignty personnels and the return of the building workers will be effective at the end of this month.
At the beginning of September, after the last checkings on the installations, especially on electricity, all the heavy building gear will be evacuated from the island.

I am, more than ever in very close contact with the military authorities of the French Forces for the South zone of the Indian ocean, in the Reunion Island. I've met the new HQ Chief warrant officer, before his starting for his new 3 years assignment to the zone. He assured me of his entire support and help for this expedition.

The last problems to be solved are about some local logistic, especially the dates usable for the military planes flights and boats departures, which schedules haven't nothing common with commercial ones. I repeat that all the necessary authorisations are in hand. Believe us about our will to do a most perfect as possible dxpedition to the Glorioso. For that, safety first is our goal.

Know if it could be easy to go, the Gloriosos rank in the most wanted list will not be n°4. For another island in the Eparses, Europa 2003, we had to work several years to prepare it before doing. All the ham operators are personnels of the French Military Defense and they have all a professional assignments which have priority over all, included the Ham radio Dxpedition. The major risks on the zone doesn't allow to include civilian ham ops in the crew.

No date is fixed to day, but I'm doïng all my best to lead Gloriosos 2008 before the end of this year, It must be said that without all combined elements gathered, I prefer postpone the operations as often as it will be necessary I continue to work hard to put the Gloriosos on the air and know that's not very easy.

73's de Didier,
F5OGL - Gloriosos 2008 team leader

April 18, 2008 :

The operation for
Glorioso 2008 must be delayed for some weeks. The HQ of the south zone of the Indian ocean announced us due to the fact that important works of facilities will take place on the island. During two and a half months, at the beginning of June, shelters anti cyclonic will be build to protect the military personnals and some equipment for the weather station.

Due to the number of persons who will be on the island during the same period, we decided with the HQ of force of the south zone of the Indian ocean to do this DXpédition when these works will be ended.

The exact dates will be define according to the operational occupation of the military transport in this region but we hope to accomplish this operation to the end of September or the beginning of October.

This leaves us the time to improve our preparations and, we thank you all those who contribute to the realization of this plan and firstly the military authorities of the Reunion island and our financial and equipment sponsors..

73's de Didier,
F5OGL - Gloriosos 2008 team leader

March 7, 2008 :

After many years of effort the permissions have been delivered. This operation can take place, probably, early of May. To start between May 5th to 9th for some weeks. For the moment the operators are Pascal
F5PTM, Freddy F5IRO, Spéphane F5KIN, David F8CRS, Yves-Michel
F5PRU and may be 3 others. They try to have 3 or 4 stations.
The sponsors are welcomme, please contact Didier F5OGL.

Editor Carl Smith,
N4AA, does mention that this year's survey does have an error. Swains
Island was NOT shown on the survey form by mistake and Carl apologizes
for the error. Carl actually feels Swains Island is the number one most
wanted country due to the "relatively small number of
contacts" made by the KH8SI DXpedition and that "only one
operation has ever taken place from Swains Island". He states,
"Although it is not shown in the #1 spot on any of the reports,
please consider it to be there." Carl usually posts (not there yet)
the results of the survey on "DX Publishing, Inc." Web page
at:

Despite our effort to get the clearance to land onto Glorioso island this year, it seems that new administration scheme is a hurdle. So, we don't give up but it is far batter to postpone again rather than make bosses angry with ham radio and led to permanent rejection.

March
1st, 2006 :

Lasted news - We have got from Reunion Head Quarter a conditional clearance to organise our expedition onto Glorioso islands. However, regarding the sanitary situation over Indian ocean and
Chikungounya disease, we will not take any risk. Therefore, the decision to postpone this operation up to october or november seems compulsory.

February
26, 2006 :

Didier,
F5OGL inform us that the Glorioso expedition (IOTA AF-011)
previously planed from march 16th to April 7th is one more time postponed but still not cancelled. A TV reporter team could join the expedition. New scheme is under work an
we will update this website as soon as possible.

October
26, 2005 :

The Glorieuses islands CDXC DXpedition could finally take place from march
17th to april 7th 2006 after the hurricane season. We cannot carry out this operation earlier because of various logistic and safety problems . We are expecting a team of 8 operators with, if possible, 5 all bands stations, all modes. I point out that the team is only made up members of the French forces which will travel by tactical transportation means. It is why the operation can at any time postponed or be cancelled. We are conscious of waiting imposed for some time for the activation of this country but we want to carry out this operation under the best conditions.

August
26st, 2005 :

The international situation being rather tense and according to announced condition for
military means use to support Glorioso 2005 operation lead us to be twice a caution for the
organistion of this dxpedition towards this sensitive area. The expedition is still
postponed up to late 2005. We are not yet able to state the accurate
period.
The international Ham radio community have then to be cheered. We still work to run FR/G in
full and acceptable conditions.
We hope to have more to tell you soon.

Best 73's Didier, F5OGL - Glorioso 2005 leader

April 4th, 2005 :

Hello to all !

As we told you very early in Glorioso 2005 announcement, such an expedition is still hard to achieve.

Since Indian ocean French forces responsible decides He has no "security" or emergency transportation means in this area late May, He disagrees with the radio team landing on Glorioso island in this time slot. So, Our current decision is to postpone - not to cancel - this expedition for next October or November.
Even if solar conditions are falling down, this late 2005 period could be better for low bands since noise level will be a bit lower and low absorption will be better for Northern Hemisphere.

We are going to meet all our sponsors to ask them their choice, either they can wait for next start and keep thier support or they prefer we send back support amount and we ask them again next august.

However, we will hold our web site in the current configuration with latest news updated soon. All current sponsors will stay in good place.

Be sure we are a bit upset with this situation, but we never give up !
We are very confident with the next opportunity.

We will keep you posted and please feel free to keep in touch for any question.

Sincerely

Dany, F5CW
Glorioso 2005 Tech & sponsors resp.

March
3rd, 2005 :

Bad news ! The tactical transportation means are no more avialable for operational reason in our planed time slot. We should have to change our method to reach Glorioso. The spare solution will increase our expense by 7500$. But we never give up, and we are looking forward all sponsors and individual donator to make Glorioso appears on
air.

Didier F5OGL get the written confirmation from French Ground Forces authorities that allows the expedition organisation.
However, it is clear that tactical means used can be called elsewhere at any time and thus pospone our participation. That works in both to Glorioso or back to La Réunion trip.

Best 73's

Dany,
F5CW

February
2nd, 2005 :

Up to now 14 operators are shortlisted (F5OGL, F5CW, F5PTM, F5JKK, TZ6SA, F5EAP, F5IRO, F5MSR, F8UNF, F5PHW, F1AKK,
FØCRS, F5LYF), but, the international situation may changes our plan, modify the team or postpone our expedition since transportations means could then be involved
elsewhere.

Several sponsors expressed yet, (INDEXA, MDXA, GDXF,...) and some private donators
too. We need a lot of help since propagation drops dwon in this middle of solar cycle and leads to set QRO stations.

Our trafic plan shows 3 stations by night and 5 to 6 in the day time. With for low bands antennas : 2 Titanex V80, (one optimised for 160, the other for 75, budget
permitting), one Four Square for 40 m band, several beverages, K9AY loop ... and 4 to 5 spiderbeams (2/3/4
elements) for high bands including WARC.

We hope to get enought supporters to set 3 Power amplifiers up, with on for 6 m EME JT65 while
skeds, other bands while no sked.

The new JT65 V4.9.1 or better improve 4dB decoding signal, thus a simple 5 or 6 elements yagi and 300 or 400 watts may make EME QSO possibles on 50
MHz. Several station already ask us skeds.

In other hand, a special "back pack" station will be ready for any
opportunity, like small island around Glorioso or our call at Europa, Juan da Nova while traveling to or back from
Glorioso. Who knows ?

Our event could take place from comming May 15th to May 30th.
QSL are via F5OGL - Bureau, bulk direct, or direct as well.